It’s finally the weekend! And you want to have a good time and relax, but there’s a few things to avoid doing this weekend so you don’t screw up the next week.

Sleeping in may sound wonderful, but big variations in your sleep times leads to greater fatigue overall. An hour or two is fine, but you don’t want to sleep until noon if you normally need to be at work during the week at 8am.

The best way to stay on a schedule is to plan things that simulate a regular routine – a workout class or meeting up with friends for breakfast.

Stay hydrated – water first thing in the morning is the best thing you can drink, especially if you stay out too late the night before.

While you want to relax, make sure you also plan for the week ahead – meal prep, grocery shopping, continue to do all the stuff you need to do to have a proper week.

And don’t just sit around the couch all weekend – fresh air, sunshine, you’ll get tons of health benefits.

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If you happen to go by a skatepark and see among all the kids a middle-aged person riding a skateboard, if you said to yourself “that’s someone having a mid-life crisis,” you’ll probably be right.

Researchers are now recommending skateboarding for those in their 40s and 50s who may be struggling with depression, substance abuse issues, or are just looking for a mood booster!

The reason is skateboarding provides self-expression, which can give a spiritual meaning.

Better still – you don’t have to be good at it. Failing – and falling – is part of the growth of the sport, so it helps adults loosen up and enjoy themselves, unlike other sports or exercise.

Just make sure you’re padded up and wearing a helmet, as those falls can be dangerous. 1/3 of all skateboarding injuries come from first timers. But if you’ve got the gear, give it a go!

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Have you heard before it’s bad to keep hitting the snooze button on your alarm? Well don’t let it stress you out – it turns out it’s not a bad thing after all!

Researchers did a study where half of the sleepers hit the snooze repeatedly for 30 minutes, the other half had their alarm go off 30 minutes later. And they found neither was better than the other. In fact, those who hit snooze and fall back asleep still get good sleep – it doesn’t interrupt us as much as originally thought. Plus, mood wasn’t affected, or how tired participants felt.

It doesn’t mean if you’re not a regular snoozer you should start doing it – but for those who naturally are, like younger adults or night owls, they can keep doing it and not feel guilty!

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No one wants to have to take medicine, but when we do, we want it to work fast. And there’s a trick you can do with your own body to have it kick in faster. Lie down on your right side.

A study at Johns Hopkins figured out that it hits your blood stream more quickly. What happens when you take a pill is it dissolves, and your body absorbs the contents.

However, since our bodies aren’t symmetrical inside, the way you stand, sit, or lie down actually affects things – where the pill settles and the rate that it starts working its way in your body.

A pill takes only ten minutes to start working when you lay on your right side, 23 minutes if you’re standing, and if you’re on your left side, an hour and 40 minutes!

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If you’ve totally burned out by work and you can’t take a vacation or if a different job isn’t a possibility, there are some things you can do to beat work burnout:

First, recognize that your burned out – not just tired – be on the lookout for headaches, gastrointestinal issues, or restlessness when you sleep.

Then think about what your ideal work situation would look like – you might find issues that could be easily resolved if you speak with management, or you might recognize that nothing will change your job, so a change of job might be the solution.

If you do decide to stay, set boundaries – if you figure out what’s causing you to be burned out, maybe you can delegate tasks to others, or reprioritize what you are currently working on.

Also, make sure you find meaning in your work, even if it’s minor – see if your work is contributing to the greater good.

But also make sure you detach your identity from your work – especially if you’re a perfectionist and take it too hard when things don’t go well.

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